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Fable: Retold Chapter 18
Souls of Heroes At the Shrine the heroes approached Briar Rose who waited for them. "Hey, glad you're still with us! These inscriptions are fascinating, you know. Everything indicates that Jack's new form will emerge from behind the Bronze Gate, and this structure is the key to opening it but it looks like it will take the souls of three Heroes to activate the mechanism. These things are never simple are they? It doesn't want just any Heroes either. The first instruction calls for 'The King of the Arena' no less" Briar Rose said. "I suppose you could chop your own head off, but then there'd be no one for me to order around, would there?" Briar Rose said. "Yeah good forbid I die" Zane said. "Why don't you pay Thunder a visit? He knows the Arena inside and out. I've checked with the Guild they say he's in Knothole Glade" Briar Rose said. "Great so we can either kill him or find another King of the Arena" Ace said. "You've still got Jack's mask haven't you?" Briar Rose asked. "Right here" Leo said patting the bag. "Good. You'll need it to trap the souls. I still can't believe he might not be dead...anyway, I better start researching the second inscription" she said before teleporting away. "Yes little hero I'm back and our business is not quite finished!" Jack of Blade voice echoed. "WHERE ARE YOU?!" Zane yelled drawing his sword. "Whoa Zane easy! What's wrong?" Leo asked. "You destroyed my sword remember?! Have you any idea how many centuries I spent looking for it?!" "I DON'T GIVE A DAMN! You killed my parents and destroyed my home! I couldn't care less about that sword!" Zane yelled. "Who are you talking too Zane?! No one here!" Ace said. "But it's work is done soon I will have power beyond your imagination and you will be the first to die!" "NOT IF I KILL YOU FIRST!" Zane yelled. "ZANE!" Leo yelled. "Didn't you hear him?! It was Jack!" Zane growled. "Jack? We didn't hear anything" Ace said. "The mask! It's on Zane person perhaps it's linking Jack to his mind?" Leo said. "Let's go! I want that man dead once and for all!" Zane growled walking ahead. Later that very day in the rain and at the gates to Knothole Glade Thunder was speaking to the Chief. "Now look, I won't tell you again, we don't need a Hero. For the first time in years we aren't being attacked, sieged or kidnapped by anything now leave us alone!" the Chief said going back into the village as the gates closed behind him. "Hello Thunder" Zane smirked. "You. Briar Rose said you would come. I will tell you what I know. If it will get you out of my sight" Thunder said. "Wow Thunder your such a conversationalist" Ace said rolling his eyes. "We were both called 'King of the Arena', but there have been many Heroes in the past who have claimed that name. You should search in the bloody dust of the Arena itself. They say the souls of past champions haunt it, resting in the place of their greatest achievement. Now go. Unless you're here to take my soul. You've taken everything else..." "Thunder! I took nothing from you! All you did was look down at me like a bug and pressuring your sister and look where she is now? Back home cause she couldn't live up to you high expectations and as for Lady Grey! You can do way better! The bitch killed her sister! What if one day while you asleep she stabbed you in your sleep?! I did you a favor there! Were heroes Thunder not enemies" Zane said. "Why go all the way to the Arena? You have a perfectly good soul right in front of you?" Jack of Blade voice echoed as Zane walked away from Thunder and covered his ears. "Shut up!" Zane growled. "I didn't say anything!" Ace said. "Not you!" Zane growled. "Jack again? Just ignore him" Leo said as they headed to the Arena. At the Arena they found dead bodies lying outside the entrance and in the Hall of Heroes they found dead guards as guards screamed and ran past them. "RUN! Run for your life!" A guard yelled. "What happened?!" Zane asked. "These...things appeared in the cells and started killing everyone!" he said running past them. "Afraid to fight another hero? Very well I have prepared some entertainment for you inside" Jack spoke as they spotted Summoners ahead. "Let's hurry!" Zane yelled as they charged at the Summoners. After defeating the Summoners the heroes entered the Arena Preparation Room to find more people dead then entered the Arena itself to see a massive troll rise in the center of the ring. "Ladies and gentlemen! This is truly a special occasion. Watch a Hero ripped to pieces! By Trolls! And Jack's very own Minions!" "Shut the fuck up!" Zane growled. "Focus Zane!" Leo yelled taking on a Minion as Zane growled and charged head on at the Troll. After ten minute in the fight the heroes had defeated four Trolls and were cut up and bleeding on parts of their bodies as they panted. "Jack's lovely Minions are back! And they're brought some puppies for our Hero to play with!" Jack spoke as Minions and Balverines appeared. "Dose it ever end?!" Leo panted. "Keep fighting" Ace growled. After another few minutes of fighting they turned to see more Minions appear. "Ladies and gentlemen! All the way from sunny Snowspire, I give you...Summoners!" "RAHHHH!" Zane yelled using Time Control to destroy a single Summoner. By the end of the fight Zane was on his knees as he pulled out at the mask and a soul went into it. "So, you found your first soul, did you? But the Shrine is ever so greedy, it will want ore before it's had its fill. I wonder who the next will belong to...hahaha!" he laughed. "SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" Zane yelled sending will energy in all directions. "Cool it! He's toying with you!" Leo said. "Calm down deep breathes" Ace said as Zane took a deep breathe. "Sorry." "It's fine if I had to listen to that twat run his mouth I'd go a little nuts too" Ace said. "Let's head back" Zane said. "Do you have that Arena soul yet?" Briar Rose asked. "Got it" Leo said. "Come back to the Shrine and we'll see if it works" Briar Rose said. Later that night the three retuned to the Shrine in front of one of three strange mechanisms. "I hope this thing works...you need to release the soul from the mask and...well, your guess is as good as mine" Briar Rose said. Zane then held out the mask as it released the soul into the machine making one of the three mechanism glow. "I've never seen anything like it, it's like it's using the soul to power itself...anyway, we've figured out the second inscription. It says: 'The Heroine' I can't think of anyone who fits the description better than Scarlet Robe, your mother. There's always me of course, but as you can see I'm still alive, and I plan to stay that way. You'll have to pay her tomb in Oakvale another visit." "Briar I can't" Zane said. "I know this won't be easy, but Scarlet was always one to make sacrifices, remember?" Briar said. "Come on Zane" Leo said as they used their Seals to head to Oakvale. "Ahhh poor Scarlet. Hasn't she suffered enough? Would you really do that to you own mother? Take pride! She of no use to anyone!" "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Zane yelled. "Don't listen to him!" Leo said. "Just ignore his foul words Zane" Ace said as they entered the town. "Something tells me there's going to be a lot of SCREAMING BWAHAHA!" "Were here" Ace said as they entered Memorial Garden as the sky went red and Screamers filled the Garden. "Damn him!" Zane growled as they saw his mother ghost appear, "mom." "I know what you see, son. But Jack has sent a legion of Screamers to torment my soul. They won't allow me to leave and now they will try to take you too" Scarlet said before disappearing. "Leave it to us Scarlet! We won't let those screaming bitches lay a hand on your son!" Ace growled heading towards the Screamers. "We will put an end to this!" Leo said charging with Ace at the Screamers. "I want all you damn creatures out of my mother sight!" Zane yelled swinging his sword and destroying a Screamer with each swing. At the end of the fight Zane was panting as his mother ghost appeared in front of him. "Jacks spirit is strong, and his new form is almost ready but I sense how he fears you. Take my soul, and avenge our family once and for all and make him pay, son" Scarlet said before disapering. "I will mom! You too dad!" Zane looking at his father statue, "he won't get away with killing you! Our home and mom! I will make him pay for every one of his crimes!" Zane yelled holding out the mask as his mother soul went into it. "We think we decipher the third inscription. Come back to the Shrine and I'll show you" Briar Rose spoke as Zane took a last look at his parents statues. "Let's finish this" Leo said touching Zane shoulder. "Together!" Ace smiled as they used the seals to head back to the Shrine. ~Later!~ Zane released his mother soul into the mechanism as we went over to Briar Rose by the last inscription. "I'm sure you mother would be proud. Now, there's just on inscription left: 'the oldest soul' but we still haven't figured out who that might mean" Briar Rose said. "Oh, come now" Jack spoke as Leo and Ace growled. "Okay not we can hear him!" Ace growled. "We both know who it is, dear Briar. You can't protect the old fool any longer. It's the Guildmaster the Shrine want, Hero." "Jack! So it really is true. He's alive and still up to his old mind games" Briar Rose said, "I hope the Guild acolytes can come up with a better idea. You should go back to the Guild and speak with them" she said before using her seal to leave and they followed behind. "WHAT THE BLOODY HELL HAPPENED HERE?!" Ace yelled seeing the papers and books all over the place. "Welcome back, sirs. This place's been a mess since you left. People running round with bits of old paper, books flying everywhere and the Guildmaster's only gone and holed himself up in the Guild Woods we're not supposed to let anyone near 'im" a guard said as an apprentice ran out. "We've found it! The soul mentioned in the inscription! It must be Nostro! His soul have been trapped in the Lychfield Graveyard for centuries our texts suggest it should be in the Graveyard Circle, you know, where you found the tunnel to Bargate prison." "Catching souls? Never heard such nonsense..." the guard said walking away. "Well, good luck, Hero!" the apprentice said as they used the Cullis Gate to Lychfield Graveyard. "It was so obvious! Nostro helped us get to the entrance so maybe he will help us again" Ace said. "And if he don't? I don't want to stick a knife in our Guildmaster" Leo said. "Neither do I but Nostro the one we need to seek" Zane said entering the Graveyard Circle and headed down the stairs. "Ugh! This place still gives me the creeps!" Ace shivered. "Nostro!" Zane called as the suit of armor rose from the ground with glowing red eyes. "Guildsmen, we meet once more. You reclaimed my weapons and armor and brought me peace. Now I offer my soul in return but I am Nostro, and mine is a warrior's soul. You must take it in battle, so that I may stand proud among my comrades in the afterlife my men have sworn an oath to protect me even in death. Only when they fall can I be harmed. Now claim my soul with honor!" Nostro spoke as Hollow Men rose from the ground. "Leo, Ace I want to fight him alone" Zane said. "What?! Why?" Ace asked. "He wants an honorable battle I shall fight him one on one like a warrior!" Zane said pulling out his sword, "let's go Nostro! Let's go!" he said as Nostro vanished. "HA! YAH! Rah!" Zane yelled taking out the smaller hollow men then charged at Nostro colliding weapon. "GAH!" Zane grunted being kicked to the ground then rolled out of the way when Nostro sword came down. "RAH!" Zane yelled smacking Nostro sword from his hand then sliced his word across the warrior making him vanish as his soul went into the mask. "Let's go Zane, time to end Jack once and for all" Leo said. ~Later!~ Zane released the final soul into the last mechanism as the three souls then shot out a blue light and collided in the center of the room above. "Look!" Leo yelled as they saw the Bronze Gate unlock then swing open. "Let's do this!" Ace smirked. "The inscription say only one Hero will be allowed to pass through the gate, hey guess what, you're the strongest. I don't know what form Jack's going to take but I don't think it's going to be small and furry, do you? Good luck. For all our sakes" Briar Rose said. "Only one of us can go in" Zane said. "You go in there and kick Jack's ass extra hard for us!" Ace said. "You're too late little hero! One small too late! Come to the Bronze Gate we have unfinished our business." "With pleasure!" Zane growled before pulling Ace and Leo into a hug as they hugged back. "You be careful in there!" Leo said. "Watch your back and avoid any trick! He's going to mess with your head!" Ace said. "I know" Zane said petting Sparky head as the dog whimpered. "I'm going to come walking out of those gates with a smile on my face! Just wait and see!" Zane smiled before heading down the stairs of the Shrine and approached Briar. "I'm sure you can do it. I've never fought beside a Hero like you before. There's nothing you can't do, I really believe that" Briar said. "Thanks you still owe me a Snowball fight" Zane said walking past her and approached Scythe. "The day has finally come. Many had prophesied that the opening of the Bronze Gate would mark the end of our world. You will prove them wrong" Scythe said. "Thanks Scythe" Zane said as he approached the steps to the gates but turned to look ups at Sparky, Leo and Ace and held up his arm with his tattoo. Leo and Ace then held up their arms while Sparky his front leg. "Go for the glory!" Ace yelled. "Find our destines!" Leo yelled. "And become heroes!" Zane yelled before turning and ran up the steps as all around him turned red and ran into the Bronze Gates into Archon's Folly.